Determination of screen mode and screen gap for foldable ihs

ABSTRACT

An Information Handling System (IHS) includes a foldable display and is configured to determine a posture of the IHS based on the angle that the display is folded. The folded display is divided into first and second screen portions. Changes in the posture of the IHS are detected and the content and orientation of the content to display in the respective screen portions is determined. A gap is displayed along the fold of the foldable display, where the gap separates the screen portions along the fold. The width of the gap separating the screen portions may be determined based on the angle that the foldable display is folded and/or based on various additional aspects of the current posture of the IHS.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to, and is a continuation ofco-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/413,728, filed May 16, 2019 and also entitled “Determination ofScreen Mode and Screen Gap for Foldable IHS,” which is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to Information Handling Systems(IHSs), and more specifically relates to IHSs utilizing foldabledisplays.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option is an Information Handling System (IHS). An IHS generallyprocesses, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data forbusiness, personal, or other purposes. Because technology andinformation handling needs and requirements may vary between differentapplications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allowfor IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific usesuch as financial transaction processing, airline reservations,enterprise data storage, global communications, etc. In addition, IHSsmay include a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

IHSs may provide visual outputs to users via various types of integratedand external displays. Until recently, the displays used by IHSs haveonly been flat, rigid displays. Certain IHSs now utilize foldabledisplays allowing the display, and in certain instances the IHS, to befolded. Foldable displays provide for easier transport and storage of anIHS. In some instances, foldable IHSs may remain operational while fullyunfolded and also while partially unfolded. Certain foldable IHSsincorporating foldable displays may also provide processing, memory,networking and other I/O capabilities that allow the foldable IHS to beused as a standalone system and may thus be used in a variety ofoperating scenarios ranging from use as a laptop to use as a handheld.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) includes: afoldable display; a logic unit configured via firmware instructions todetermine a posture of the IHS based in part on an angle at which thedisplay is folded, wherein the folded display is divided by a fold intoa first screen portion and a second screen portion; and a processorconfigured via software instructions to: detect a change in the postureof the IHS reported by the logic unit; determine content to display inthe first screen portion and in the second screen portion; and determinean orientation of the content to display in the first screen portion andthe second screen portion.

In additional IHS embodiments, the foldable display is folded along ahinge of the IHS and wherein the posture is determined based in part onan angle of the hinge. In additional IHS embodiments, a gap is displayedalong the fold in the foldable display and wherein the gap separates thefirst screen portion from the second screen portion. In additional IHSembodiments, the processor is further configured to determine a width ofthe gap separating the first screen portion and the second screenportion. In additional IHS embodiments, the width of the gap isdetermined based at least in part on an angle the foldable display isfolded. In additional IHS embodiments, the width of the gap isdetermined based at least in part on the posture of the IHS. Inadditional IHS embodiments, the physical posture is determined based ondetected movement of the IHS. In additional IHS embodiments, the widthof the gap is determined to be zero based on the posture of the IHSindicating that no separation is required between the first screenportion and the second screen portion.

In various additional embodiments, a method determines a screen mode fora foldable display of an IHS (Information Handling System). The methodincludes: determining a posture of the IHS based in part on an angle atwhich the display is folded, wherein the folded display is divided by afold into a first screen portion and a second screen portion; detectinga change in the posture of the IHS; determining content to display inthe first screen portion and in the second screen portion; anddetermining an orientation of the content to display in the first screenportion and the second screen portion.

In additional method embodiments, the foldable display is folded along ahinge of the IHS and wherein the posture is determined based in part onan angle of the hinge. In additional embodiments, the method furtherincludes displaying a gap along the fold in the foldable display,wherein the gap separates the first screen portion from the secondscreen portion. In additional embodiments, the method further includesdetermining a width of the gap separating the first screen portion andthe second screen portion. In additional embodiments, the method furtherincludes determining the width of the gap based at least in part on anangle the foldable display is folded. In additional embodiments, themethod further includes determining the width of the gap based at leastin part on the posture of the IHS. In additional method embodiments, thephysical posture is determined based on detected movement of the IHS. Inadditional method embodiments, the width of the gap is determined to bezero based on the posture of the IHS indicating that no separation isrequired between the first screen portion and the second screen portion.

In various additional embodiments, a computer-readable storage device ofan IHS (Information Handling System) includes a foldable display andincludes program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by oneor more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine aphysical posture of the IHS based in part on an angle at which thedisplay is folded, wherein the folded display is divided by a fold intoa first screen portion and a second screen portion; detect a change inthe physical posture of the IHS; determine content to display in thefirst screen portion and in the second screen portion; and determine anorientation of the content to display in the first screen portion andthe second screen portion.

In additional storage device embodiments, the foldable display is foldedalong a hinge of the IHS and wherein the physical posture is determinedbased in part on an angle of the hinge. In additional storage deviceembodiments, the program instructions further causing the one or moreprocessors to display a gap along the fold in the foldable display,wherein the gap separates the first screen portion from the secondscreen portion. In additional storage device embodiments, the programinstructions further causing the one or more processors to determine awidth of the gap separating the first screen portion and the secondscreen portion based on an angle of folding of the foldable display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention(s) is/are illustrated by way of example and is/arenot limited by the accompanying figures, in which like referencesindicate similar elements. Elements in the figures are illustrated forsimplicity and clarity, and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting certain components of an IHSconfigured according to various embodiments for determining a screenmode and a display gap for a foldable display of the IHS.

FIG. 2A is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a closed posture.

FIG. 2B is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a fully open posture.

FIG. 2C is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a partially open posture.

FIG. 3A is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a fully open posture utilizing a singlescreen display.

FIG. 3B is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a fully open posture while utilizing a dualscreen display.

FIG. 3C is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a partially open posture utilizing a singlescreen display.

FIG. 3D is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a partially open posture while utilizing adual screen display.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing certain steps of a process according tovarious embodiments for determining a screen mode and a display gap fora foldable display of the IHS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS may include any instrumentalityor aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, calculate,determine, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate,switch, store, display, communicate, manifest, detect, record,reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, ordata for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example,an IHS may be a personal computer (e.g., desktop or laptop), tabletcomputer, mobile device (e.g., Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smartphone), server (e.g., blade server or rack server), a network storagedevice, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape,performance, functionality, and price. An IHS may include Random AccessMemory (RAM), one or more processing resources, such as a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, Read-OnlyMemory (ROM), and/or other types of nonvolatile memory.

Additional components of an IHS may include one or more disk drives, oneor more network ports for communicating with external devices as well asvarious I/O devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, touchscreen, and/or avideo display. An IHS may also include one or more buses operable totransmit communications between the various hardware components. Anexample of an IHS is described in more detail below. FIG. 1 shows anexample of an IHS configured to implement the systems and methodsdescribed herein according to certain embodiments. It should beappreciated that although certain IHS embodiments described herein maybe discussed in the context of a personal computing device, otherembodiments may be utilized.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating certain components of an IHS 100configured according to certain embodiments for determining a screenmode and a displayed gap for a foldable display 108 of the IHS 100. Invarious embodiments, IHS 100 may include an embedded controller 120,graphics processor 107 and a sensor hub 114 that may each executesprogram instructions that cause these components to perform certain ofthe operations disclosed herein. IHS 100 includes an integrated foldabledisplay 108 that may be configured as described with regard to the belowembodiments to operate according to different screen modes that mayutilize a gap that divides the foldable display into separate portions,where a gap may be displayed along the length of the folded portion ofthe display.

IHS 100 includes one or more processors 101, such as a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU), that execute code retrieved from a system memory105. Although IHS 100 is illustrated with a single processor 101, otherembodiments may include two or more processors, that may each beconfigured identically, or to provide specialized processing functions.Processor 101 may include any processor capable of executing programinstructions, such as an Intel Pentium™ series processor or anygeneral-purpose or embedded processors implementing any of a variety ofInstruction Set Architectures (ISAs), such as the x86, POWERPC®, ARM®,SPARC®, or MIPS® ISAs, or any other suitable ISA.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the processor 101 includes an integratedmemory controller 118 that may be implemented directly within thecircuitry of the processor 101, or the memory controller 118 may be aseparate integrated circuit that is located on the same die as theprocessor 101. The memory controller 118 may be configured to manage thetransfer of data to and from the system memory 105 of the IHS 100 via ahigh-speed memory interface 104. In certain embodiments, power toprocessor 101 and/or system memory 105 may be turned off, or configuredto operate at a minimal power level, in response to IHS 100 entering alow-power operating state.

The system memory 105 that is coupled to processor 101 provides theprocessor 101 with a high-speed memory that may be used in the executionof computer program instructions by the processor 101. Accordingly,system memory 105 may include memory components, such as such as staticRAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), NAND Flash memory, suitable forsupporting high-speed memory operations by the processor 101. In certainembodiments, system memory 105 may combine both persistent, non-volatilememory and volatile memory. In certain embodiments, the system memory105 may be comprised of multiple removable memory modules.

IHS 100 utilizes a chipset 103 that may include one or more integratedcircuits that are connect to processor 101. In the embodiment of FIG. 1,processor 101 is depicted as a component of chipset 103. In otherembodiments, all of chipset 103, or portions of chipset 103 may beimplemented directly within the integrated circuitry of the processor101. Chipset 103 provides the processor(s) 101 with access to a varietyof resources accessible via bus 102. In IHS 100, bus 102 is illustratedas a single element. Various embodiments may utilize any number ofseparate buses to provide the illustrated pathways served by bus 102.

As illustrated, a variety of resources may be coupled to theprocessor(s) 101 of the IHS 100 through the chipset 103. For instance,chipset 103 may be coupled to a network interface 109 that may supportdifferent types of network connectivity. In certain embodiments, IHS 100may include one or more Network Interface Controllers (NIC), each ofwhich may implement the hardware required for communicating via aspecific networking technology, such as Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH, Ethernet andmobile cellular networks (e.g., CDMA, TDMA, LTE). As illustrated,network interface 109 may support network connections by wired networkcontrollers 122 and by wireless network controller 123. Each networkcontroller 122, 123 may be coupled via various buses to the chipset 103of IHS 100 in supporting different types of network connectivity, suchas the network connectivity utilized by the operating system of IHS 100.

Chipset 103 may also provide access to an integrated foldable display108 and one or more external displays 113 via a graphics processor 107.In certain embodiments, graphics processor 107 may be comprised within avideo card, graphics card or within an embedded controller installedwithin IHS 100. In certain embodiments, graphics processor 107 may beintegrated within processor 101, such as a component of asystem-on-chip. Graphics processor 107 may generate display informationand provide the generated information to one or more display device(s)108, 113 utilized by IHS 100.

The IHS 100 utilizes an integrated display device 108 that is a foldabledisplay, allowing the user to fold the display to a closed position, orto a partially or fully open position that allows the IHS 100 to be usedin a variety of physical configurations. In certain embodiments, theintegrated foldable display device 108 may utilize OLED (organiclight-emitting diode) technology, or another display technology thatsupports flexible displays that may be folded as described herein. Incertain embodiments, the integrated foldable display 108 may be capableof receiving touch inputs such as via a touch controller that may be anembedded component of the foldable display device 108, graphicsprocessor 107 or a separate component of IHS 100 accessed via bus 102.In certain embodiments, IHS 100 may also support use of one or moreexternal displays 113, such as external monitors that may be coupled toIHS 100 via various types of wired and wireless connections.

Other components of IHS 100 may include one or more I/O ports 116 thatsupport removeable couplings with various types of peripheral externaldevices and systems. For instance, I/O 116 ports may include USB(Universal Serial Bus) Type-C ports, by which a variety of externaldevices may be coupled to IHS 100. I/O ports 116 may include varioustypes of ports and couplings that support connections with externaldevices and systems through temporary couplings via ports accessible toa user via the enclosure of the IHS 100.

Chipset 103 also provides processor 101 with access to one or morestorage devices 119. In various embodiments, storage device 119 may beintegral to the IHS 100, or may be external to the IHS 100. In certainembodiments, storage device 119 may be accessed via a storage controllerthat may be an integrated component of the storage device. Storagedevice 119 may be implemented using any memory technology allowing IHS100 to store and retrieve data. For instance, storage device 119 may bea magnetic hard disk storage drive or a solid-state storage drive. Incertain embodiments, storage device 119 may be a system of storagedevices, such as a cloud drive accessible via network interface 109.

As illustrated, IHS 100 also includes a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)117 that may be stored in a non-volatile memory accessible by chipset103 via bus 102. Upon powering or restarting IHS 100, processor(s) 101may utilize BIOS 117 instructions to initialize and test hardwarecomponents coupled to the IHS 100. The BIOS 117 instructions may alsoload an operating system for use by the IHS 100. The BIOS 117 providesan abstraction layer that allows the operating system to interface withthe hardware components of the IHS 100. The Unified Extensible FirmwareInterface (UEFI) was designed as a successor to BIOS. As a result, manymodern IHSs utilize UEFI in addition to or instead of a BIOS. As usedherein, BIOS is intended to also encompass UEFI.

In certain embodiments, chipset 103 may utilize one or more I/Ocontrollers 110 that may each support hardware components such as userI/O devices 111. Such I/O devices 111 may be integrated components ofIHS 100 or the I/O devices 111 may be external components that may betemporarily coupled to IHS 100. For instance, I/O controller 110 mayprovide access to one or more user I/O devices 110 such as a keyboard,mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, microphone, speakers, camera and otherinput and output devices that may be coupled to IHS 100. Each of thesupported user I/O devices 111 may interface with the I/O controller 110through wired or wireless connections.

As illustrated, certain IHS 100 embodiments may utilize a sensor hub 114or other logic unit capable of determining the relative orientationand/or movement of IHS 100 based on various sensor inputs. For instance,sensor hub 114 may utilize inertial movement sensors 115, that mayinclude accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer sensors capable ofdetermining the current orientation and movement of IHS 100 (e.g., IHS100 is motionless on a relatively flat surface or IHS 100 is being movedirregularly and is likely being held by a user). In certain embodiments,sensor hub 114 may also include capabilities for determining a locationand movement of IHS 100 based on triangulation of network signals andbased on network information provided by the operating system or by anetwork interface 109. In some embodiments, sensor hub 114 may supportadditional sensors, such as optical, infrared and sonar sensors, thatmay provide support for xR (virtual, augmented, mixed reality) sessionshosted by the IHS 100 and may be used by sensor hub 114 to provide anindication of a user's presence in proximity to IHS 100. For instance,in certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 may indicate whether a user iscurrently facing a portion of the integrated foldable display 108 and isthus in a position to utilize IHS 100.

Through folding of display 108 at different angles about a hinge orother folding mechanism, multiple different configurations for using theIHS 100 may be supported. As described in additional detail with regardto the embodiments of FIGS. 3A-D, an IHS utilizing a foldable displaymay be configured for use as a single-screen display or as a dual-screendisplay that splits the foldable display into two virtual displays alongthe length of the fold of the display. When folded in such a manner, theIHS 100 may be physically configured for use in different modes orpostures. In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 may include a modesensor 112 that provides a determination of the current mode in whichthe IHS 100 is physically configured. In certain embodiments, suchdeterminations may be made by the sensor hub 114 based on movement andorientation information provided by the inertial movement sensors 115and further based on the angle at which the hinge, or other foldingmechanism, is currently folded.

In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 may utilize a mode sensor 112that determines the current angle of the hinge and thus the angle atwhich the display 108 is currently folded. Based upon this angle ofrotation of a hinge from a closed position, the sensor hub 114 maydetermine the mode in which the IHS 100 is configured. For instance, afirst range of angles of rotation from a closed position may indicate abook configuration and a second range of angles may indicate a fullyopen configuration that may be oriented in a landscape or portraitorientation. The sensor hub 114 may additionally utilize orientation andmovement information to determine the mode in which the IHS 100 isphysically configured. For instance, if the sensor hub 114 determinesthe IHS 100 is configured with a hinge angle indicating use in a bookmode, but the IHS 100 is oriented such that one portion rests on a flatsurface and, due to the fold, the other portion is pointed upwards, theIHS may be determined to be in a laptop configuration. If the IHS 100 isdetermined to be tiled towards a user's face and is experiencing slightmovement, the sensor hub 114 may determine with relative certainty thatthe IHS 100 is being used in a book mode configuration. In this samemanner, the sensor hub 114 may utilize movement and orientationinformation to confirm that an unfolded IHS 100 is immobile and restingon a flat surface and is thus likely being used in fully open posture.

In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 may be an independentmicrocontroller or other logic unit that is coupled to the motherboardof IHS 100. In such embodiments, sensor hub 114 may communicate withvarious sensors and chipset 103 of processor 101 via a bus connectionsuch as an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) bus or other suitable type ofmulti-master bus connection. In certain embodiments, sensor hub 114 maybe a component of an integrated system-on-chip incorporated intoprocessor 101 and may utilize an I2C bus for communicating with sensors,such as the mode sensor 112, inertial measurement sensors 115 andsensors used for determining a user's presence near the IHS 100. Sensorhub 114 may collect and processes data from such sensors using datafusion techniques in order to determine the posture in which the IHS 100is currently positioned.

As illustrated, IHS 100 embodiments may utilize an embedded controller120 that may be a motherboard component of IHS 100 and may include oneor more logic units. Firmware instructions utilized by embeddedcontroller 120 may be used to operate a secure execution environmentthat may include operations for providing various core functions of IHS100, such as power management, docking, management of operating modes inwhich IHS 100 may be physically configured and support for certainintegrated I/O functions. In certain embodiments, embedded controller120 may implement operations for interfacing with a power adapter 124 inmanaging power for IHS 100. Such operations may be utilized to determinethe power status of IHS 100, such as whether IHS 100 is operating frombattery power or is plugged into an AC power source.

Embedded controller 120 may similarly implement operations for detectingwhen IHS 100 is docked and undocked. In certain embodiments, docking ofIHS 100 may be supported via coupling IHS 100 to a docking station, suchas via an I/O port 116 supporting USB-C connections. In otherembodiments, a docking station may instead include a cradle in which IHS100 may be placed and may provide IHS 100 with power and dataconnections. In such embodiments, a docking cradle may include contactpads, connectors or other mechanisms for interfacing with acorresponding coupling mechanism located on the IHS 100. When docked inthis manner, IHS 100 may be required to be in a fixed docking positionin which the display 108 is unfolded to a fully open posture and inwhich display 108 cannot be folded. From such a fixed docking position,IHS 100 may be still used while placed in a docking cradle.

In various embodiments, an IHS 100 does not include each of thecomponents shown in FIG. 1. In various embodiments, an IHS 100 mayinclude various additional components in addition to those that areshown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, some components that are represented asseparate components in FIG. 1 may in certain embodiments instead beintegrated with other components. For example, in certain embodiments,all or a portion of the functionality provided by the illustratedcomponents may instead be provided by components integrated into the oneor more processor(s) 101 as a systems-on-a-chip.

FIG. 2A is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a closed posture. As illustrated, a foldable IHS may beclosed in a similar manner to a book or binder such that the IHS isdivided into two portions along a central fold 215. The outer surface205 of the foldable IHS may be an enclosure constructed of various typesof plastic and/or metallic compounds. When folded as illustrated, thefoldable display is protected within the closed outer surface 205, thussafeguarding the foldable display for transport or storage. In theprofile view 210 of the closed posture, the two portions of the foldableIHS are rotated towards each other about the central fold 215 to theirfullest extent. In certain instances, the central fold 215 may include ahinge that allows the two portions of the IHS to be folded and unfoldedby a user.

FIG. 2B is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a fully open posture. Configured in this posture, thefoldable display 220 is operational and provides the maximum availabledisplay area. In FIG. 2B, the foldable IHS is illustrated in a landscapeorientation, in which the longest side of the display is horizontal. Thefoldable IHS may also be oriented in a portrait orientation, in whichthe longest side of the display is vertical. As illustrated in theprofile view 225, in the fully open posture, the central fold 230 isopened to approximately 180 degrees. In this posture, the foldable IHSmay be laid flat on a surface, propped up on a stand, or docked. Incertain instances, a dock for use with a foldable IHS may include acradle in which the foldable IHS may be placed while in a fully openposture such that the foldable IHS may remain in use while docked.

FIG. 2C is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is physicallyconfigured in a partially open posture. As illustrated in the profileview 240, in the partially open posture, the central fold 245 is openedless than 180 degrees. The display 235 is divided into two portionsalong the fold 250 created by rotation of a hinge or other structure ofthe central fold 245. When partially open, the foldable IHS may be stoodupright on a flat surface (e.g., similar to a hinged pair of pictureframes that may be stood upright for display) or may be held by user ina manner similar to a book. Despite the fold 250 in the display 235, theentire foldable display 235 may remain functional. However, the contentdisplayed along the length of the fold 250 may be distorted. Inaddition, as the display is folded further towards a closed position,the content displayed along the length of the fold 250 may become moredifficult for a user to see. A similar effect is present in books thathave an insufficient inner margin separating the text from the spine ofthe book.

FIG. 3A is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a fully open posture and for use of asingle-screen display. As described with regard to FIG. 1, embodimentsof a foldable IHS may include capabilities for determining the posturein which a foldable IHS is physically configured. For instance, theposture of the foldable IHS may be determined based on sensorinformation providing the angle at which the display is folded andinformation regarding the orientation, position and movement of thefoldable IHS. Based on such posture information, embodiments maydetermine a screen mode for the foldable display that is appropriate fora particular posture. For instance, in FIG. 3A, the foldable IHS is in afully open posture such that the display 305 is fully unfolded. Asillustrated in the profile view 310, the hinge 315 supporting a centralfold is opened to 180-degrees such that the foldable IHS may be laid ona flat surface, propped upwards, or docked. As illustrated, in such aconfiguration, foldable display 305 may be utilized as a single screenthat uses the full display 305.

FIG. 3B is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a fully open posture and for use of adual-screen display. As reflected in the profile view 310, the foldableIHS remains in a fully open posture with the hinge 315 in a fully openposition and the display 305 fully unfolded. Whereas in FIG. 3A, thedisplay 305 is used for a single screen, in FIG. 3B, the display 305 isdivided into two screen portions 345 a-b. As described in additionaldetail with regard to FIG. 4, embodiments may determine the applicationcontent to display in each of the screen portions 345 a-b based onconsiderations such as the posture of the foldable IHS and theapplications that are currently being used to display content.

In certain instances, embodiments may determine to split the displayalong the central fold 315 such that each of the portions 345 a-b may beutilized as a separate screen. In some embodiments, the foldable IHS maybe configured such that content from different applications may be shownin each of the portions 345 a-b. For instance, a text editingapplication may be shown in the left-hand portion 345 a and a webbrowser may be shown in the right-hand portion 345 b. However, incertain instances, the foldable IHS may be configured such that contentfrom a single application is shown in both portions 345 a-b of thedisplay 305. For instance, a reading application may show a page of textin the left-hand portion 345 a and the following page of text in theright-hand portion 345 b, similar to a conventional book.

In certain embodiments, the determination regarding whether to utilizethe display 305 in a single screen or dual screen configuration may bebased on the application that is currently selected for display by theuser. For instance, applications for gaming or streaming video mayindicate use of a single screen, such as in FIG. 3A. However, concurrentuse of different applications (e.g., a photo editing application and aweb browser) or use of a reading application may indicate use of dualscreens, such as in FIG. 3B. As described in detail with regard to FIGS.3D and 4, the two screen portions 345 a-b may be separated by a gap 340that is a separator, such as a black rectangle, displayed by thefoldable display along the length of the hinge 315. In certainembodiments, the width of this displayed gap 340 between screen portion345 a-b may be determined based on the degree to which the display 305is folded or based on various other aspects of the current posture ofthe foldable IHS.

FIG. 3C is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a partially open posture and utilizing asingle-screen display. As in the partially open posture of FIG. 2C, theprofile view 330 illustrates the partially open hinge 335 that resultsin a fold 325 in the display 320. Similar to the single-screen displayutilized in the fully open posture of FIG. 3A, the full display 320 maybe utilized as a single-screen despite the fold 325 in the display 320.Embodiments may configure the single-screen use of the foldable IHS asillustrated in FIG. 3C based on the applications being displayed by theuser. For instance, the display of a streaming video player may resultin the full single-screen display of the video content. As described,display of content via a folded display may cause distortion of thedisplayed content along the length of the fold 325. In certaininstances, such distortion may be acceptable. However, distortion alongthe length of the fold 325 may be unacceptable for the display ofcertain applications, such as a text editing or graphic designapplication.

FIG. 3D is an illustration of a foldable IHS that is configuredaccording to embodiments in a partially open posture while utilizing adual-screen display. As described, the ability for the user to properlyview content displayed along the length of a fold may be compromised todifferent degrees based on the angle at which the display is folded andby the application that is being used to display information.Accordingly, as described with regard to FIG. 3D, the folded display 320may be divided into two portions 345 a-b along the length of foldcreated through bending the display 320 at the central hinge 335. Alsoas described, the two portions 345 a-b of the folded display 320 may beseparated by a gap 340 that runs along the length of the fold 325. Thedisplayed gap 340 serves to separate the content of each screen portion345 a-b. In certain instances, each of the portions 345 a-b may betreated as separate, non-interacting displays such that content from oneportion cannot be moved to another portion through a user input such asvia drag-and-drop mouse operations. In other instances, each of theportions 345 a-b may be treated as portions of an extended display thatis separated by gap 340 and that allows for content to be moved betweenthe two portions 345 a-b.

In scenarios where the current posture of the foldable IHS indicates theuse of a dual-screen mode, such as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the portions345 a-b of the display resulting from the fold may be separated by a gap340 that is displayed along the length of the fold in the display 305.In certain embodiments, the gap 340 may be a rectangular shape or imagethat is displayed along the length of the fold 325 of the folded display305. For instance, the gap 340 may be generated through display of ablack rectangle that may be positioned along the length of the fold suchthat the gap 340 is centered above the hinge 335. Various embodimentsmay employ various techniques for displaying the gap 340 that separatesthe display 305 into two screen portions 345 a-b. As described, whenfolded, the closer the foldable IHS is to the closed position (i.e., asthe hinge is opened less from the closed position), the greater thedifficulty of a user in viewing the content displayed along the fold.Accordingly, as described in additional detail with regard to FIG. 4,the width of the gap 340 may be adjusted based in part on the angle atwith the IHS is folded and/or based on various other aspects of thecurrent posture of the IHS.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing certain steps of a process according tovarious embodiments for determining a screen mode and a display gap foran IHS utilizing a foldable display. As described, a foldable IHS mayinclude various capabilities for detecting changes to the posture inwhich the foldable IHS is physically configured for use. For instance,at block 410, any folding and unfolding of the IHS by the user may bedetermined. As described, a foldable IHS utilizing a hinge or othermechanical structure to support folding of the IHS may utilize a hingeangle sensor to detect any folding or unfolding of the IHS. As describedwith regard to FIG. 1, a sensor hub and/or an embedded controller maydetermine a posture of the foldable IHS based in part on the reportedhinge angle. For instance, a fully folded hinge angle may correspond toa closed posture, such as illustrated in FIG. 2A, a partially foldedhinge angle may correspond to a partially open posture, such asillustrated in FIG. 2C, and a fully open hinge angle may correspond to afully open posture, such as illustrated in FIG. 2B.

In addition to tracking the folding and unfolding of the IHS, at block405, repositioning of the foldable IHS may be determined. For instance,the movement of a foldable IHS to the partially open book posture ofFIG. 2C may be determined based on detected movements indicating thefoldable IHS is being held by a user in a partially open configurationwith the foldable IHS oriented such that the fold is vertical.Additional indications of use of the foldable IHS in a book posture maybe indicated through detection of a central axis of symmetry of theuser's face in approximate alignment with the axis of the fold of theIHS. As described, the foldable IHS may also utilize sensors capable ofdetecting when the IHS is motionless and has been placed on a flatsurface or has been propped such that the display faces the user.

As described, the foldable IHS may be docked either through a wiredcoupling, such as a USB-C connection, or via a cradle that receives thefoldable IHS. At block 415, embedded controller of the foldable IHS maydetect changes to the docking status of the IHS. In certain embodimentsthat utilize a docking cradle, the foldable IHS may remain usable whiledocked, but may be limited to a specific posture supported by thecradle, such as the fully open posture of FIG. 2B. Accordingly, adocking status of the foldable IHS may dictate the posture in which theIHS may be configured and may also dictate the orientation of the IHS.

At block 420, any such changes in the use of the foldable IHS aredetected. For instance, any substantial changes to the hinge angle atwhich the IHS is folded may be detected and evaluated as indicating apossible change in posture by the user. Similarly, any changes in theorientation of the foldable IHS may also indicate a user switchingpostures, such as switching to or from a book posture. As described, areported change in the docking status may require t foldable IHS to bein a specific posture such that detecting of a docking may indicate aspecific docking posture that is associated with specific screen modesettings. In response to detecting any of such types of changes in theuse of the IHS, at block 425, the current posture of the IHS may bedetermined, where the posture may be determined based on the angle atwhich the IHS is folded and further based on positioning informationindicating movement and/or orientation of the IHS.

In order to determine a screen mode that is suitable for the currentposture, at block 430, the applications currently being used to displayinformation are determined. Certain embodiments may give considerationto all applications with graphical user interfaces that are currentlyvisible to a non-negligible degree in the display, while otherembodiments may give consideration only to applications determined tooccupy at least a specific portion of the operating system desktop andthat are also actively in use. In certain embodiments, where multipleapplications are concurrently visible on the operating system desktop,the applications that are actively in use may be determined based on thepercentage of the desktop that is being used to display each of theapplications. Applications occupying only negligible portions of thedesktop may be considered an inactive, while applications occupyinglarge portions of the desktop may be considered active. Otherindications of applications that are actively in use may be determinedbased on the recency of inputs to a user interface of the applications.

Once the active applications are determined, at block 435, any displayedpreferences for the active applications are identified. As described,different applications may be associated with different displaypreferences. For instance, applications for watching streaming video orfor gaming may be associated with a preference for display using asingle-screen mode, even if the display is partially folded and somedistortion will occur along the length of the fold. However, suchpreferences may also specify that if the IHS is folded beyond a certainthreshold, then display of the streaming video or gaming content viadual-screen mode is preferred. Similarly, a text editing, spreadsheet,document viewer or graphic design application may be associated with apreference for single-screen mode as long as the IHS is in a fully-openposture, but may prefer display via a dual-screen mode if the display isin a partially open posture. As described, a reading application may beassociated with a full-screen mode in scenarios where the foldable IHSis fully open and oriented in a portrait orientation, but may beassociated with a dual-screen mode where the IHS is oriented in alandscape orientation, regardless of whether the IHS is in a fully openposture or a partially open posture.

Based on the display preferences of the visible applications and furtherbased on the current posture of the foldable IHS, at block 440,embodiments may determine whether to split the display into dual-screenmode operation. For instance, in a scenario where the foldable IHS is ina fully-open posture and the display preferences of the predominantlyvisible application indicate a preference for a single-screen display,at block 445, embodiments may determine to utilize the display in asingle-screen mode. In certain instance, applications may be associatedwith preference for use of dual-screen display as soon as the display isfolded beyond a certain point. For instance, applications may prefer useof dual-screen displays anytime the display is opened less than 150degrees from a closed posture. If use of a single-screen is determined,based on the orientation of the foldable IHS relative to the user,embodiments may further determine whether to display the single-screenin a landscape or portrait orientation.

In instances where the current posture of the foldable IHS and thedisplay preferences associated with the visible applications indicatethe use of a dual-screen mode, at block 450, embodiments may determinethe applications to display in each of the portions of the dual-screendisplay. For instance, in scenarios where two applications aredetermined to be actively in use and visible within the operating systemdesktop, embodiments may assign each of the two applications to aseparate display of the two dual-screen portions. In scenarios where oneapplication is determined to be predominantly in use with otherapplications also actively used to a lesser extent, embodiments mayassign the predominantly used application for display to one dual-screendisplay while the other active applications are displayed as tiledwindows within the other dual-screen display. In scenarios where theapplication in use is a reading application and the foldable IHS isconfigured in a book posture, both of the dual-screen displays may beused for display by the reading application.

As described, when configured for dual-screen displays, the portions ofthe display used for each of the dual-screens may be separated by a gapthat is displayed by the foldable IHS along the length of the fold. Asdescribed, in certain embodiments, a gap may be a rectangular shape,such as a black rectangle, that is displayed along the length of thefold that separates the display into the dual-screens. Embodiments mayutilize various techniques for displaying the gap that separates thedual-screens. The width of this gap may be zero or otherwiseimperceptible such that the two dual-screen displays appear contiguousalong the fold of the IHS. As the width of the gap is increased, theseparation of the dual-screen displays along the fold also increases. Atblock 455, embodiments may determine the width of this gap.

As described, as a foldable IHS is folded closer to a closed posture,the content that is displayed along the length of the fold may becomefurther distorted and/or more difficult for the user to properly see. Inutilizing the described gap, no content is displayed along this foldedportion of the gap and a rectangular shape is displayed instead. Byincreasing the width of the gap, the content of the dual-screens isprevented from being displayed near the fold, thus reducing the effectsof the folding of the IHS, even as the IHS is folded further towards aclosed posture. Accordingly, in certain embodiments the width of the gapmay be determined based on the angle at which the display is folded.Certain embodiments may utilize a formula such as the formula below thatdetermines the width of the gap (GAP) that is selected from the lesserof a maximum gap width (MAX_GAP) that may be utilized and of a quadraticformula used to calculate a gap width based on the hinge angle (x) atwhich the display is folded.GAP=MIN(Ax ² +Bx+C,MAX_GAP)In certain embodiments, coefficients (A, B, C) of the quadratic formulamay be selected based on the applications that are displayed. Forinstance, a streaming video application may be associated withcoefficients that reflect a preference that, when a gap is required, thegap should be as narrow as possible. However, a graphics editingapplication may place a premium on maintaining an undistorted view ofthe displayed content such that the graphics editing application may beassociated with coefficients that promote a wider gap in order toprovide a greater buffer from the distortion of the fold.

In certain embodiments, a formula for calculating the width of the gapmay be utilized via which the gap width (GAP) may be selected from thelesser of a maximum gap width (MAX_GAP) and various other gap widthscalculated based on various aspects (Ax, Bx, Cx, . . . Nx) of thecurrent posture of the IHS, some of which may be based on the hingeangle (x) at which the display is folded.GAP=MIN(Ax Bx,Cx,Dx . . . Nx,MAX_GAP)

For instance, in the formula below, a gap width Ax may be a function ofthe application(s) being used to display content in the portions of thedual-screen display. In such an embodiment, certain reading applicationsmay display content that already utilizes sufficient margins such that adual-screen mode may be utilized, but a gap (Ax) of zero or near-zerowidth may be utilized regardless of the angle (x) at which the displayis folded. Also, as described, a graphics editing software applicationmay require a minimum gap width (Bx) for any angle (x) that indicatesany folding of the display. Similarly, a brightness of the currentposture of the IHS as a function of the fold angle (x) may be associatedwith a particular gap (Cx). In other scenarios, environmental conditionsmay also be considered within determining a gap width. For instance, acolor temperature or other measure of the ambient lighting in thevicinity of the IHS may be used to determine a gap width (Dx). Otherfunctions for determining a gap width may be based on various otheraspects of the display, such as contrast settings and/or whetherblue-light reduction technologies are being utilized. In this manner,various aspects of the current posture of the foldable IHS may be usedto determine the width of the gap to be displayed.

With the width of the gap determined, at 460, the dual-screens aredisplayed with the two portions separated by the gap of the determinedwidth. As described, the applications that are displayed in each of thedual-screens may be determined based on the applications currently inuse to display content. The user may commence use of the foldable IHS inthe dual-screen mode. As indicated in FIG. 4, during such use of thefoldable IHS, additional changes that are detected to the posture of thefoldable IHS may trigger additional changes to the screen mode and thegap utilized by the foldable display.

The described embodiments support a foldable display with a single,central fold. However, additional embodiments may support a foldabledisplay with multiple folds. For instance, a foldable IHS according toembodiments may include two hinges that allow the foldable display twobe divided into three portions by the folds. In the same manner asdescribed herein, a screen mode may be determined such that asingle-screen display may be utilized (with this single-screen displaypotentially including two folds) if the foldable IHS is in a partiallyopen or fully open posture. Based on the applications in use and theangles of the folds, a tri-screen display may be utilized, with each ofthe three screen portions separated by gaps running the length of thefolds. Also, in the same manner as described herein, the widths of suchgaps may be determined based on the angle of folds, where the gap foreach fold may be separately determined since each hinge may be folded ata different angle.

It should be understood that various operations described herein may beimplemented in software executed by processing circuitry, hardware, or acombination thereof. The order in which each operation of a given methodis performed may be changed, and various operations may be added,reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. It is intended that theinvention(s) described herein embrace all such modifications and changesand, accordingly, the above description should be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

The terms “tangible” and “non-transitory,” as used herein, are intendedto describe a computer-readable storage medium (or “memory”) excludingpropagating electromagnetic signals; but are not intended to otherwiselimit the type of physical computer-readable storage device that isencompassed by the phrase computer-readable medium or memory. Forinstance, the terms “non-transitory computer readable medium” or“tangible memory” are intended to encompass types of storage devicesthat do not necessarily store information permanently, including, forexample, RAM. Program instructions and data stored on a tangiblecomputer-accessible storage medium in non-transitory form may afterwardsbe transmitted by transmission media or signals such as electrical,electromagnetic, or digital signals, which may be conveyed via acommunication medium such as a network and/or a wireless link.

Although the invention(s) is/are described herein with reference tospecific embodiments, various modifications and changes can be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention(s), as setforth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figuresare to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense,and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scopeof the present invention(s). Any benefits, advantages, or solutions toproblems that are described herein with regard to specific embodimentsare not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeature or element of any or all the claims.

Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used toarbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus,these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or otherprioritization of such elements. The terms “coupled” or “operablycoupled” are defined as connected, although not necessarily directly,and not necessarily mechanically. The terms “a” and “an” are defined asone or more unless stated otherwise. The terms “comprise” (and any formof comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any formof have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form ofinclude, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any formof contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linkingverbs. As a result, a system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,”“has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those oneor more elements but is not limited to possessing only those one or moreelements. Similarly, a method or process that “comprises,” “has,”“includes” or “contains” one or more operations possesses those one ormore operations but is not limited to possessing only those one or moreoperations.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An Information Handling System (IHS)comprising: a display screen that is foldable; a logic unit configuredvia firmware instructions to determine an angle at which the displayscreen is folded; and a processor configured via software instructionsto: detect a change in the angle at which the display screen is folded;based on the changed angle of the folded display screen, determine afirst width along the fold in the display screen, wherein the firstwidth is determined based on the content that is displayed within thefirst width of the display screen being distorted due to the fold of thedisplay screen; and display a gap of the first width along the fold ofthe display screen such that the gap is displayed where content isdistorted due to the fold, wherein first and second portions of thedisplay screen are separated by the displayed gap.
 2. The IHS of claim1, wherein the foldable display screen is folded along a hinge of theIHS.
 3. The IHS of claim 2, wherein the gap of the first width isdisplayed along the hinge of the IHS.
 4. The IHS of claim 1, wherein thewidth of the gap is determined based at least in part on an angle atwhich the display screen is folded.
 5. The IHS of claim 4, wherein thewidth of the gap is further determined based on a physical posture ofthe IHS.
 6. The IHS of claim 5, wherein the physical posture of the IHSis determined based on detected movement of the IHS.
 7. The IHS of claim5, wherein the physical posture of the IHS is determined based ondetected orientation of the IHS.
 8. The IHS of claim 5, wherein thewidth of the gap is determined to be zero based on the posture of theIHS and the angle of the fold indicating that no separation is requiredbetween the first and second screen portions.
 9. A method for displaycontent on a foldable display screen of an IHS (Information HandlingSystem), the method comprising: detecting a change in the angle at whichthe display screen is folded; based on the changed angle of the foldeddisplay screen, determining a first width along the fold in the displayscreen, wherein the first width is determined based on the content thatis displayed within the first width of the display screen beingdistorted due to the fold of the display screen; and displaying a gap ofthe first width along the fold of the display screen such that the gapis displayed where content is distorted due to the fold, wherein firstand second portions of the display screen are separated by the displayedgap.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the foldable display screen isfolded along a hinge of the IHS.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein thegap of the first width is displayed along the hinge of the IHS.
 12. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the width of the gap is determined based atleast in part on an angle at which the display screen is folded.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the width of the gap is further determinedbased on a physical posture of the IHS.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the physical posture of the IHS is determined based on detectedmovement of the IHS.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the physicalposture of the IHS is determined based on detected orientation of theIHS.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the width of the gap isdetermined to be zero based on the posture of the IHS and the angle ofthe fold indicating that no separation is required between the first andsecond screen portions.
 17. A computer-readable storage device of an IHS(Information Handling System) comprising a foldable display screen,wherein the storage device includes program instructions stored thereonthat, upon execution by one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to: detect a change in the angle at which the display screenis folded; based on the changed angle of the folded display screen,determine a first width along the fold in the display screen, whereinthe first width is determined based on the content that is displayedwithin the first width of the display screen being distorted due to thefold of the display screen; and display a gap of the first width alongthe fold of the display screen such that the gap is displayed wherecontent is distorted due to the fold, wherein first and second portionsof the display screen are separated by the displayed gap.
 18. Thecomputer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the foldabledisplay screen is folded along a hinge of the IHS.
 19. Thecomputer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the gap of thefirst width is displayed along the hinge of the IHS.
 20. Thecomputer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the width of thegap is determined based at least in part on an angle at which thedisplay screen is folded.